The online magazine of Gunslinger Gaming.

September 2013 Member Spotlight – Gaz_Bot Edition

Gaz_Bot: He can build you, wholesale.Star Trek had Data. Mystery Science Theater 3000 has Tom Servo. Philip K. Dick had, well, he believed we were all androids. The point is the Gunslingers group is proud to count Gaz_Bot as a member. Let’s take a moment to learn more about our Canadian, science fiction loving friend in this edition of the Member Spotlight!

GS: The anniversary of your membership is quite easy to remember. You originally signed up with the Gunslingers on January 1st, 2012 for our PS3 faction of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. How did you ever find the Gunslingers? Who were some of the folks you first met up with in game after joining?

Gaz_Bot: It all started back with playing “Global Resistance” while I was waiting for Resistance 3 to come out. I was going through forums on the website and I saw the Gunslinger recruitment thread. I was intrigued with the aspect of a gaming clan for adults, especially with kids and jobs – you know, normal people, haha. I came back and joined, apparently on New Year’s Day at that, and off I went. MW3 one of the first games I bought with my PS3 so naturally I joined that group. Killzone 3 soon came out and that was definitely my calling and where I met most of the Gunslingers I still game with today: Dunkaroo, CWC Vader, House Lannister, SmokeYoAss, Scars, KingShafiq, Steak N Fries, WhiPWCC (Mimbres), FC Central, BigBangBear, and you Murphy. There’s been many more along the way and everyone has been great, this has to be one of the best gaming clans out there. Hands down.

GS: Let’s explore the past and future of Gaz_Bot. What was the first game you ever owned? With the next generation of consoles right around the corner, what console and games do you see yourself on?

Gaz_Bot: I can remember being a kid and renting NES and SNES for special occasions. Duck B.O.B. – One of Gaz_Bot’s first SNES favorites.Hunt and Mario was where it was at back then. The first system I ever owned was a Sega Genesis and my favourite game was B.O.B – a robot who crash landed his Dad’s space car on a hostile asteroid while en route to pick up his date. It was awesome.

I see myself picking up a PS4 a few months after release, you know, so they can work out all the kinks. The games I’m most looking forward to are Killzone: Shadow Fall, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Destiny, and Tom Clancy’s The Division.

GS: Your history of playing KillZone 3, Borderlands 2, and Resistance 3 suggests you are a science fiction fan. If true, what are among your favorite science fiction pieces in film and literature?

Gaz_Bot: Oh, you caught on to that, eh? I swear, I don’t like Sci-Fi at all… Seriously though, it all started with Star Wars (I have the tattoo to prove it!) and still is – ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ is the best of the series if you ask me. Some of my other favourite sci-fi movies, in no particular order, would be: The Back to the Future trilogy, V for Vendetta, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Prometheus, Alien, The Abyss, Children of Men, Logan’s Run, and I’m probably forgetting a few others… I also happen to enjoy vintage sci-fi movies as well, no favourites, just watching them is enough.

As for literature, I tend to go for the dystopian sci-fi: Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Time Machine, Brave New World, The Sleeper Wakes, Children of Men, Fahrenheit 451, We; and of course, Atlas Shrugged.

GS: You mention tattoos as one of your interests in your Gunslinger Gaming profile. What tattoos do you have? Tell us about the first time you got a tattoo.

Gaz_Bot: Currently I have five. The first is a Union Jack inside a cutout of a Maple Leaf, for my dual British/Canadian citizenship. The second is “Per Ardua ad Astra” (Through Adversity to the Stars) horizontally on the top of my left forearm, basically that one just means to overcome whatever gets in your way. The third is a griffin on my left shoulder. Fourth is “So it goes.” horizontally across the top of my right forearm, and that’s from one of my favourite books “Slaughterhouse-Five” but Kurt Vonnegut. The fifth is Boba Fett’s helmet entangled in the tentacles of the Sarlacc – I told you I liked Star Wars. When I got my first tattoo, I picked something simple and being of both Canadian and British background, I went with both flags in one. It was actually a rather funny experience as the artist dropped one of his machines and swore rather loudly, but since I was lying down I couldn’t see and I thought he messed up! Two other customers were in the studio at the same time, one getting a small tattoo on his arm and the other was getting a lip ring. Both passed out and it was nothing short of hilarious – the staff was trying hard not to laugh. I’ll be up to six in the next few months as I’m getting a vintage sci-fi movie style robot done on my forearm. I’ll post a photo in the tattoo thread when it’s healed!

GS: When GS*Dunkaroo69, a fellow Canadian, heard that you were going to be interviewed, he demanded that I ask you about hockey. What is your favorite team? Assuming that you like hockey, what other sports do you follow or participate in?

Gaz_Bot: Oh, Dunk. Why am I not surprised? I’ll admit that I’m not a very good Canadian and I don’t really watch hockey. I used to play when I was younger, but it became way too expensive so I stopped. I don’t really have a favourite team, though I suppose I have a soft spot for the Maple Leafs considering I’m so close to Toronto. When it comes time for the finals, I’m happy if any Canadian team is in the running.

I played soccer for most of my life, through no influence by my professional soccer coach father… none at all.

GS: Looking back at your posting history, there is a surprising detail considering how engaged and friendly you are towards your fellow GSers. You never wrote an Introduction post! Knowing what you know now about the community, how would you describe yourself in an introductory post if written today?

Hey everyone I’m Gaz_Bot, but most of you know me just as Gaz. I live just outside of Toronto, ON, Canada; with my common-law wife and two daughters – anyone who has played online with me has probably heard my youngest babbling or screaming right next to me. I work in customer service, so coming home to shoot up some online baddies is a great way to vent after a tough day. You will more than likely find me playing sci-fi shooters such as Killzone 3 or Borderlands 2, and tactical shooters like The Last of Us.

If you see me playing another game, feel free to send me a message and I’ll more than likely switch games and join, unless I’m really involved in my current game, haha.

GS: The game “The Last of Us” has caused a quite amount of discussion by gamers as a whole. Being a player of the game, what are your thoughts about it? How significant do you find it as a game?

Gaz_Bot: Between The Last of Us and Bioshock I feel as if I have played the best games of the current generation. The story, gameplay, sound, visuals, even the characters – they’re all amazing. While playing through the story in TLOU, I actually found myself caring about the characters. There were several moments in the game where I was incredibly worried about the fate of a character. From the very beginning – and what a beginning – to the end, I was pulled right in. The gameplay may not be entirely new but it works, it makes you stop and think. There is no run-n-gun with this game. As far as significance goes, this game as pushed narrative to a whole new level. It has proved to the world just what a game can do and definitely comes out as a work of art. There is no doubt in my mind that TLOU sits high on the list of my favourite games ever. I just hope to catch more Gunslingers online. You can’t go solo with this one!

GS: You also list craft beer as an interest of yours. If a fellow beer lover should travel to Canada, which breweries must we visit that you feel personifies the greatness of Canadian micro brews?

Steamwhistle Brewery – A top Canadian micro brewery recommended by Gaz_Bot.Gaz_Bot: There are many beers that I could put out there for a visitor to try, but I’ll keep it restricted to my area. You should without a doubt go to Toronto and visit three of my favourites: Steamwhistle, Mill St. Brewery (the brewpub in the Distillery District), and Amsterdam (both their brewery and new brewpub right on the lake). Additionally, venture slightly north to Bracebridge, ON; and visit Muskoka Brewery – they make two of my favourite beers ever: Mad Tom double IPA and Winterbeard Chocolate Cranberry Stout. I highly recommend trying those if you ever see them!

GS: Finish this sentence: The craziest thing you have ever done, sober or otherwise, would be____________. By all means, feel free to change the names of anyone involved to protect the innocent.

Gaz_Bot: I haven’t done anything too crazy, but I guess I would have to say Skydiving. Now, I say that because I’m completely terrified of heights. So yeah, the guy who’s afraid of heights goes up to 10,000 feet and jumps out of an airplane. It was wild and totally worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

GS: Finally, Gaz_Bot, what is your favorite drink?

Gaz_Bot: When I’m out somewhere, either a Whisky Sour or Black Russian. When I’m at home, a nice dark ale or porter.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions, Gaz_Bot. Also, dear readers, thank you for taking the time to learn more about your fellow Gunslinger! Maybe—just maybe—he will share a pic of his Maple Leaf-Union Jack tattoo…if you buy him a round of some micro brews first!